Saint Mary's College (Ind.) Adds Women's Lacrosse

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Saint Mary's College is proud to announce that lacrosse will be added as a varsity sport beginning in the 2013-14 academic year.

The addition of lacrosse to the varsity athletic program will give Saint Mary's nine varsity sports, all of which compete in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as a Division III member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Currently, more than 200 NCAA Division III member institutions sponsor women's lacrosse as a varsity sport.

"Increasing our athletic opportunities is always exciting," said Julie Schroeder-Biek, director of Athletics. "With the addition of lacrosse as a championship sport in our league this year, transitioning our well established lacrosse club to the varsity level could not happen at a better time. We feel quite confident that our team will not only be ready to play in 2014, but that we will be competitive from the start of our varsity program."

The College has sponsored lacrosse as a club sport since the early 2000s, and the program has continued to grow since its inception. Last spring, the club had more than 70 students try out for the team. Saint Mary's joins the other eight MIAA members in fielding a varsity women's lacrosse program. The conference will sponsor lacrosse as a championship sport for the first time in its history this upcoming spring 2013 season.

"Lacrosse has gained popularity in the Midwest in the last few years, and our students and potential students have asked when we will field a team," said Vice President of Student Affairs Karen Johnson. "The time is right for Saint Mary's."

A search for a head coach begins immediately as it will be among his/her responsibilities to lead the final year of the College's club program while also recruiting for the first NCAA season of play a year from this spring.

About Saint Mary's College: Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women's institution offering five bachelor's degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary's College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the top 100 "Best National Liberal Arts Colleges" for 2013 published by U.S. News. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary's is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.